1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to technology for installing software. More particularly the invention is directed to a system and method for the initial download and automatic installation of handheld file(s) on a handheld computer.
2. Description of Related Art
The initial installation of a complete software program in a memory of a computer can be a difficult and complex task for nontechnical computer users. The installation process typically requires users to perform multiple steps to install the new software. Moreover, if the installation is not completed properly, the software program will not operate as designed or may not operate at all.
Typically, after market software programs are installed on a computer through the use of media such as floppy or compact disks. These programs are installed on the computer in a variety of ways. For example, the program files may be copied onto the computer's hard drive and then installed by running an executable file. Alternatively, the disks may be inserted into the computer's disk drive and the software program installed directly from the media. Both methods, however, entail multiple steps to install the program, such as inserting the media, copying the files, running the executable, and so on. Also, these methods require basic computing knowledge of how to copy files or invoke a program located on the media. Accordingly, initial installations are plagued with problems.
With the advent of computer networks such as the Internet, it has become possible to download software programs directly from the network. These networks typically comprise servers, which store information, data files, Web-pages, and the like and transmit them to client computers. In the early days of the Internet, file transfers were limited by bandwidth restrictions. Nowadays, with the increase in bandwidth and modem speeds, computer users frequently download and install large software programs from remote servers on the Internet. In addition, as greater bandwidth becomes available, users are able to download even larger software programs. Typically, these files are downloaded in compressed form, such as in ZIP or RAR format, and then decompressed before being installed. Once decompressed, the user invokes one of the decompressed executable files, typically setup.exe or install.exe, to install the software program. While this method eliminates many of the steps of installation from media, the installation process is still a multi-step process that often creates confusion for less technical users. Indeed, the downloading process and initial installation of software programs still plagues many users.
To address users woes, new software installation programs have been developed. One such installation program is INSTALLSHIELD™ made by InstallShield Software Corp. Software programs such as INSTALLSHIELD™ create a single executable installation file that does not have to be decompressed by the user before installation. With INSTALLSHIELD™ the software developer uses templates and pre-built interface objects that make it easy to package the software such that the installation files and software files can be accessed and invoked from the single executable installation file. Users who install software packaged with INSTALLSHIELD™ are therefore able to install the software program quickly and without extensive knowledge regarding computers without affecting other applications or system characteristics. The INSTALLSHIELD™ program itself decompresses and invokes the necessary installation files. To install new software, a user downloads the single executable file to his/her computer's hard drive. The user then locates the downloaded software file on the hard drive and invokes it to begin the software installation. The installation files are then automatically decompressed to a temporary directory and a setup file is invoked. Once the software has been installed, the temporary directory is erased. While INSTALLSHIELD™ has simplified the installation process, it nevertheless is still a multi-step process. In fact, users most often have difficulties downloading the file, locating the file once downloaded, and invoking the file. Also, other problems may arise if the user disrupts the software program during installation.
Furthermore, the newer generations of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) now allow users to install after market software on their devices. PDAs are lightweight, hand-held, usually pen-based computers used as personal organizers, etc. Examples of PDAs are the various PALM™, HANDSPRING™, SONY CLIE™, and COMPAQ IPAC™ computing devices. To synchronize data between a PDA and desktop computer, a communication link is created between the two computers via a cable or wireless connection.
Typically, downloading and installing new software programs onto a PDA is a complex and time consuming task, even more so than for desktop or laptop computers. This is because of the additional steps that are required for transferring data from a desktop or laptop computer to the PDA. In particular, to install a new software program from a remote server, a user typically downloads one or more files to a desktop or laptop computer, and thereafter copies the files onto the PDA via the PDA's various proprietary synchronization mechanisms. For example, a file must first be downloaded to a desktop computer and decompressed. The decompressed file is then copied to a PDA coupled to the desktop computer. Each step by the user adds additional complexity, thereby creating opportunities for installation failure.
A number of existing systems exist for downloading and updating Web content to a PDA. For example, AVANTGO™ and VINDIGO™ allow users to update content on their PDAs. These systems, however, require the user to have already installed the system's proprietary software on the PDA. Installation of this proprietary software, however, suffers from all of the same drawbacks described above. In fact, if the installation of the proprietary software is not completed successfully, the content updates cannot take place.
In addition, the initial download and installation of the abovementioned proprietary software does not provide for the automatic customization of the installation based on the user's particular PDA.
Furthermore, the complexity of installing and/or upgrading software and data on both a desktop computer and a PDA is more than most non-technical users can handle. In fact, the Applicant has found that an unusually high percentage of support queries are related to the initial installation of their software programs onto user's PDAs.
In light of the shortcomings identified above, there is a need for a method of seamlessly downloading and installing new software onto computing devices, particularly PDAs. Such a method should provide for the transmittal of the software program between a remote installation server and a desktop, laptop, or handheld computer, such as a PDA. It is also desirable to have a means for automatically customizing the new installation.